Journal of urban health : bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Geographical Differences of Risk of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis according to Urban/Rural Area: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Cohort Studies.
Several studies have demonstrated an association between the risk asthma/allergic rhinitis and the environment. However, to date, no systematic review or meta-analysis has investigated these factors. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between urban/rural living and the risk of asthma and allergic rhinitis. ⋯ Our study provides epidemiological evidence for an association between allergic respiratory diseases, especially asthma, and urban/rural living. Future research should focus on identifying the factors associated with asthma in children living in urban areas. The review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021249578).
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Understanding temporal and spatial trends in pregnancy and birth outcomes within an urban area is important for the monitoring of health indicators of a population. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all births in the public hospital of Temuco, a medium-sized city in Southern Chile between 2009 and 2016 (n = 17,237). Information on adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, as well as spatial and maternal characteristics (insurance type, employment, smoking, age, and overweight/obesity), was collected from medical charts. ⋯ Neighborhood deprivation was negatively correlated with low birth weight and preterm birth, but not correlated with eclampsia, preeclampsia, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, small for gestational age, gestational diabetes, nor stillbirth. Several encouraging downward trends and some increases in adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, which, overall, were not explained by changes in maternal characteristics were observed. Identified clusters of higher adverse birth outcomes may be used to evaluate preventive health coverage in this setting.
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There is a dearth of research on incarceration among young Black sexual minority men (SMM). The current study aimed to assess the prevalence and association between unmet socioeconomic and structural needs and history of incarceration among young Black SMM. ⋯ Additionally, participants with unmet socioeconomic and structural needs (unemployment, homelessness, financial insecurity and limited educational attainment) were more likely to have a history of incarceration. It is imperative that interventions are developed to address the basic, social, and economic needs of young Black SMM with a history of incarceration or who are at risk for incarceration.
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Firearm-related deaths are a leading cause of death in the USA. Webster et al. (2014) found an association between Missouri's repeal of a permit-to-purchase handgun licensing law and an increase in firearm-related homicides. ⋯ The repeal was associated from 2008 to 2019 with a 0.05 increase in the proportion own-state gun trace (p < 0.0001, 95% confidence interval: 0.08,0.13) and a 0.10 increase in the proportion of guns recovered prior to 1 year after purchase (p = 0.01, 95% confidence interval: 1.20, 1.90). Our study provides supportive evidence for the repeal increasing firearm-related homicides.
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Accessibility of healthy food is an important predictor for several health outcomes, but its association with life expectancy is unclear. We evaluated the association between U. S. ⋯ Both income and healthy food accessibility were associated with life expectancy at birth, as indicated by shorter life expectancy in low-income census tracts when comparing tracts with similar healthy food accessibility level, and in low-access tracts when comparing tracts with similar income level. Compared to high-income/high-access census tracts, life expectancy at birth was lower in high-income/low-access (- 0.33 years; 95% confidence interval - 0.42, - 0.28), low-income/high-access (- 1.45 years; - 1.52, - 1.38), and low-income/low-access (- 2.29 years; - 2.38, - 2.21) tracts after adjusting for socio-demographic characteristics and incorporating vehicle availability. Effective interventions to increase healthy food accessibility may improve life expectancy.